Lake Creek Balmy and Exciting April Amphibian Watch

After a near-washout last month, we were treated to a more normal, even raucous, evening of herpy encounters. Had a snake sighting (but no capture for any up close and personal enjoyment). FIVE SPECIES were observed and documented!!
Seven of us ‘regulars’ enjoyed a lively evening and we shared the fun with a fishing resident who may join us regularly in the future. Thank you: Myra, Randy, Bill, Kathy, Reggie, and Linda for coming out on with me this month. Welcome to Tim Anderson, a new friend and nature nerd who seems to love all things aquatic as much as we do.

Environmental Conditions (at 15:55):
Air Temp: 22.7C
Water Temp: 23.4C
Sky: 0 (clear)
Water Level: Average
Relative Humidity: 63%

General Observations:
The area has dried out since last month’s rains. The creek bed below the dam was dry. Algal mats were starting to form, but only covered about 10% of the surface.

Amphibian Watch Report:
1] The Blanchard's Cricket Frogs were already calling full chorus as we approached the dam monitoring site. They were all along the stream bed below the dam and calling all around the rim of the dammed-up area we regularly monitor. They called continuously, full chorus [C3] the entire monitoring hour. Even with significant noise from road traffic, I managed to get several adequate recordings, and also recorded (and have a video) of an individual only two feet away from our group right on the cement dam apron. Randy caught an individual in his trusty net, and I have pix of that individual.
2] There were a few individual Rio Grande Leopard Frogs calling, very occasionally, [C1] for the evening. I tracked one down on the grassy bank and got one recording.
3] Kathy caught two medium size Gulf Coast Toads, and we all took pix.
4] Three of us heard a lone Bullfrog call, just a few times, near the end of the monitoring period. I have a recording of it, very faint, in the recording intended to document the close-by leopard frog.
5] We visited “The Limestone Wall” after the monitoring hour to look for chirping frogs. At first it appeared that it would be too cool and dry to find any. Then, looking deep into the cracks, we saw several. Kathy finally captured one, so we have pictures of two individuals in cracks and a third “in hand”.

Posted on April 11, 2017 07:53 PM by